


Calm Before The Storm

by goddess_julie



Series: More/Everything [18]
Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Gender Changes, Domestic, Domestic Fluff, F/M, Fluff, Kidfic, girl!Louis, girl!direction, girldirection
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-14
Updated: 2018-07-14
Packaged: 2019-06-10 10:51:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,133
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15289935
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/goddess_julie/pseuds/goddess_julie
Summary: A morning in the Styles-Tomlinson household.  Louis vows she won't have 20 kids, Elsa has a hissy fit and it's a domestic morning with pancakes and bacon.





	Calm Before The Storm

**Author's Note:**

> I have so many little fics in this universe playing around in my head. Little snippets of everyday life with Harry, Louis and the kids. Zee and Liam, Niall and Perrie. As I write them, I will post them. I don't know how many there are though. This was intending to be a different idea but ended up a ficlet all of its' own! Thank you for any/all support and feedback!

The house is completely silent save for the grandfather clock echoing in the family room. There is a comfortable calm that has settled over what is usually a loud and busy household, laughter, playful screaming and adventure bouncing over the walls. A scent of French vanilla coffee wafts through the kitchen and up the stairs as Harry opens the refrigerator to pull out the ingredients he needs to start breakfast.

A soft pitter patter of feet sound overhead and Harry grins as he pours a glass of orange juice into his daughter’s favourite tumbler. He places it at her spot at the kitchen island and waits for her to join him. She’s brushing the sleep out of her eyes as her hair sits atop her head, wild and curly from her sleep.

“Morning Daddy,” Elsa says softly, eyes crinkling at the corners as she offers him a sleepy, yet toothy grin. It’s still pretty early, only 7am, and it’s Sunday, but Elsa has always taken after Harry in this respect. Louis will sleep until she’s forced to wake up, and even then, she’s grumpy for having her beauty sleep interrupted, Harry on the other hand, has always been an early riser. Much to Louis’ dismay, Elsa was given the ‘early riser’ gene and has always been up with the sun. Harry loves it, mostly because this gives him quality time with his daughter, just the two of them bonding in the morning letting Louis sleep.

The twins, on the other hand, seem to have taken after their mother’s sleeping habits. They’re both still sound asleep, as proven by the silence coming from the baby monitor set on the kitchen counter.

“Good morning Princess, how did you sleep last night love?” Harry watches Elsa climb up onto the island stool and take a long drink of her juice. He smiles as she downs nearly half of the glass. It’s fresh orange juice, her favourite, and she always looks so pleased when she wakes up and he has it waiting for her. Harry never understood until he met Louis and they started their family just how much of a capacity for love he could have. 

With heaving breaths, Elsa puts the glass down and licks her lips. She grins and hops off the stool so she can hug Harry’s legs. “Oh Daddy, thank you. That juice is so yummy. Did you make it yourself?” She grins as he pours a bit more into her glass and leans down to pull him up into her embrace. “I slept so good. I had dreams of kittens and puppies and playing with them and maybe we can get one?”

Harry has to muffle his mouth to avoid laughing loud enough that he knows will wake up the whole house. If he manages breakfast properly, everyone will start to wake up as soon as they smell the bacon and pancakes. He’s surprised the coffee hasn’t pulled Louis down the stairs yet. “I did make that juice baby, just for you. I know it’s your favourite.”

“You’re my favourite, Daddy.” Elsa giggles as she leans in to kiss Harry’s offered lips. He pulls her into a hug and places her onto her stool when they break apart. It’s then that she sees the ingredients on the counter and starts to clap excitedly. “PANCAKES?” she squeals. 

Harry covers his lips with his finger, silently reminding her to be quiet. She follows his actions and giggles.

“Sorry Daddy,” she whispers. “But pancakes? And choco chips?”

“And peanut butter chips?” Harry winks with a grin. His heart grows two sizes as Elsa silently squeals and shimmies in her seat. “And bacon and fruit,” Harry adds.

Elsa’s eyes widen and she covers her mouth in excitement. “Is today special, Daddy? Are we having a celebration?”

There aren’t words for Harry to explain to his eldest daughter how every day is special for him, how he feels like celebrating every single morning when he wakes up with Louis at his side and his three children sleeping safely and soundly in their beds down the hall. How he’s finally married the woman of his dreams, his soul mate and they’ve got another child on the way. He watches as Elsa drinks her juice, twirling her hair on her finger just the way Louis does when she’s sitting at that same island watching Harry cook them lunch or dinner. He watches the twist of her lips as she’s waiting for him to answer her, impatient wrinkle of her nose because he’s too busy watching her and not busy enough speaking.

“El, every day is special when I have my Daddy-Elsa time in the morning.”

“So corny, Daddy.” Elsa laughs, but he sees the way her cheeks blush and she watches him like he’s the most important person in her life. He can’t help but go over and press a kiss to her forehead, inhaling the sweet scent of her shampoo that Louis had used the night before for her bath before bed. She tilts her face so that they are cheek to cheek. “I love you, Daddy.”

“I love you too, Peanut.” Harry says softly. “Now, how about we make breakfast for everyone?”

Elsa pretends to think about it. “How about YOU make breakfast and I sit here and watch?”

Harry lets out a laugh and nods as he heads to a drawer at the end of the counter. He pulls out a princess colouring book and a pack of crayons. When he shows Elsa, she claps as she makes grabby hands for the book and package. Harry pauses and waits a moment.

“Please, Daddy. Can I colour?”

“Of course, sweetheart.”

It takes the rest of the family only 10 minutes once the bacon hits the griddle to start making their way down the stairs and into the kitchen. Harry has Louis’ cup of tea steeping as soon as she appears, smiling as she grumbles about not being able to have coffee thanks to the menace baby Harry has put inside of her. She grabs a few appetizer pieces of bacon as she prepares juice for the twins in their sippy cups and prepares their booster seats at the table. It’s all so blissfully domestic and within seconds the kitchen moves from soft and quiet to loud and excited.

Harry turns up the radio on the counter to play music as they start their day, butter, syrup, ketchup and other condiments make their way to the table, followed by pancakes and bacon piled on plates. Jasper is sitting next to Louis while Harry pulls Brigitte closer and they prepare the twins plates, dodging excited forks swinging around as Elsa reminds Harry of her request for a puppy or a kitten, thinking that they should have one before the new baby comes.

“We will think about it baby,” Louis says with a soft smile. She’s sure that Harry would love to do just that, go to the local shelter and adopt all of the cats that need a new home. But they need to sit down and really talk about it. Discuss whether a cat or a dog would be better, and how to properly introduce the kids to a pet and what having an animal live with them means. Louis is stunned at how Elsa crosses her arms over her chest and pouts.

“You’re mean, Mummy.”

Louis’ gaze flickers to Harry and she sees surprise in his green depths. Clearly this attitude was not present earlier. Before she can speak, Harry does.

“Pardon me?” He looks at Elsa kindly but with authority.

“I said Mummy is mean,” Elsa pouts, kicking her feet out as she scowls at Louis. 

“Can you tell me why you think Mummy’s mean, Elsa?” Louis is thankful that Harry is taking the lead on this because her chest aching and she’s feeling upset at how Elsa is clearly mad at her. Louis knows her reaction is partly due to her hormones to being pregnant, but it hurts to see her daughter angry at her.

“Because I want a puppy or a kitten and she won’t give it to me.”

“Elsa Louise Styles,” Harry’s voice takes on a sharper tone causing both twins to stop eating. Their eyes widen with surprise and they watch their father and sister in rapture. 

Elsa’s head hangs and she sighs. “Yes, Daddy.?”

“Look at me please.” Harry waits a few seconds until Elsa’s head slowly rises and she look at her Daddy. Her eyes are hooded and she’s clearly expecting to be yelled at. “Just because you want something, doesn’t mean you are always going to have it.”

“But if I asked you for a puppy or a kitten, I know you’d give it to me because you love me best. Mummy always says no, she’s mean.”

Harry wants to cringe because he knows that he’s more lax on the children, leaving Louis to always be the authoritative voice. His eyes flicker to Louis who is trying to mask the expression of hurt and frustration on her face. It’s a conversation that they’ve had before and while Harry tries to be as strong as his wife, he doesn’t always succeed.

“No baby, that’s not always true. Sometimes when I say yes, it’s because I’ve asked Mummy what she thinks and we agree to say yes. But when she says no, we agree on that too. Just because you want something, doesn’t mean you’re always going to get it. Even if you ask me.”

Elsa looks shocked. She looks back and forth from Louis to Harry, they watch her mouth gape open a few times like she wants to say something but nothing comes out.

“But what if I REALLY want it?”

“Then we talk about how important it is and how we are going to get it. Just because you want a kitten, doesn’t mean you get one. Remember when you wanted that big girl bike?” Harry waits for Elsa to nod in understanding. “What did we say?”

“I had to wait until my Birthday.”

“Exactly.”

“Do I have to wait for my birthday for a puppy or a kitten?” Elsa asks softly. Her eyes aren’t meeting Louis’ at all and she’s barely able to make eye contact with Harry.

“Well, to adopt a kitten or a puppy there is an adoption fee. You give them a donation so that they can keep saving other puppies and kittens that have no homes to find families to adopt them. And you have to buy them food and toys and a bed…”

“’Seep in my bed?” Jasper pipes up, clearly trying to help his sister. Elsa grins and nods. 

“Yeah, and I can share my food?”

Harry gives a kind chuckle, pleased to see Louis try and hide a smile into her tea cup. He winks at his wife, needing her to know that they’re a team, that he’s got her back. “Okay, well we will discuss it together. All of us. Mummy and I will come up with a list of everything we need to talk about and then sit down as a family to decide.” Harry sees Elsa about to open her mouth to say something. “Okay?” He waits a few more seconds. “Elsa?”

“Okay, Daddy.”

They are all sitting around the table quietly, the twins back to being engrossed with the last bits of their breakfast while Harry watches Elsa to see what she is going to do next. She owes Louis an apology, and while Louis won’t force her for it, Harry knows she will not be leaving this table until she gives her mother an appropriate apology. Thankfully, before he’s forced to prompt her for one, Elsa speaks.

“Mummy?”

“Yes, Darling?” Louis says softly. She’s smiling at her daughter and while it hasn’t quite reached her eyes, Harry is sure Elsa won’t notice.

“Can I come over?” Elsa looks up at Louis through her hair. Harry can see her eyes are downcast and her lip is quivering.

“Of course, baby, come on over. Sit with Mummy.”

Elsa jumps off of her chair and runs over to where Louis is sitting. The tiny girl looks scared, almost hesitant to reach out for her mummy and Harry’s heart breaks a little at how tears form in the corners of Louis’ eyes.

“Mummy,” Elsa looks shocked at the tears in Louis eyes and throws herself at her mummy. “Oh, mummy. I’m sorry I made you sad. I love you too much. Please don’t cry. Please don’t hate me, don’t stop loving me.”

“Oh baby,” Louis says softly as she hefts her daughter onto her lap. She is careful to mind her growing baby bump but pulls Elsa in as close as she can. “I’ll never stop loving you. I could never hate you. You’re my baby, my precious girl.”

Elsa looks up at Louis’ face and starts wiping at her mummy’s tears. “Promise?”

“I promise baby,” Louis breathes, kissing Elsa’s cheeks and throat. “And just because I say no, doesn’t mean I don’t love you. Okay?

“Okay, mummy.”

Louis is vaguely aware of Harry wiping off the twins faces and letting them out of their booster seats so they can head into the family room to play. They’re oblivious to the drama between their sister and mum and rush off without a second glance. Harry busies himself clearing off the table as Elsa and Louis talk softly.

“Will you still love me when the new baby comes?”

“Of course, baby. Are you worried we won’t?” Louis watches Elsa give a half shrug of her shoulder, a train she’s picked up from Harry and pulls her so that she’s resting on her lap, head cradled on her chest. Slowly, she begins to rock Elsa back and forth, humming softly. “I’ll never not love you Elsa Louise Styles. Even if we have 20 babies…”

Harry and Elsa gasp at the same time. “Twenty babies?” Elsa squeals. Harry looks positively elated at the prospect. Louis groans.

“Not 20 babies,” she says to both of them at the same time. Much pointed as she stares Harry down.

“We’ll see,” she hears him whisper as he loads the dishwasher.

“NOT 20.” 

“But I’ll always be your baby?” Elsa asks, eyes focused on Louis’ face as she twirls her hair in her fingers. 

“Of course. Mummy loves you and Jasper and Brigitte. And Mummy will love you when this baby comes and she’ll love this baby too.”

“You won’t run out?”

“Never.”

“Even when I’m bad?”

“Even when you’re bad.”

“And bossy? And crying? And say mean things even though I don’t mean them?”

“Even then, babe.”

“Promise?”

Louis looks down as Elsa holds up her pinkie finger. She twists their pinkies together and pulls softly. “Pinkie Swear.”

“And Daddy too?”

“And Daddy and Uncle Leemo and Auntie Zee. And Nialler and Pezza...”

Elsa smiles and relaxes into Louis’ embrace.

“Uncle Leemo says I’m his favourite. That’s okay right? That he loves me more than Jas and Brig?”

Louis gives a chuckle. “That’s okay, baby. He loves Jas and Brig, but you’re his little girl. You’re his best friend. And when he and Auntie Zee have their own babies, he’ll still love you so much.”

“I want them to have babies too, so I can play with them and be the boss. I’m the oldest so everyone has to listen to me.”

Sometimes her daughter is so much like herself that Louis can’t help but wish that she’d stay this age forever. She presses her lips against Elsa’s forehead and giggles against her skin.

“Of course, Elsa. You’re my baby. Of course, you’re the boss. Your mama is the boss, so you’re the boss too.”

They sit in silence for a while, watching Harry wordlessly clean the table and load the dishes in the dish washer. Louis tries to tell Harry that she’ll do clean up since Harry cooked but he won’t hear of it. Kisses both of his girls on the forehead and tells them to just relax.

“Thank you for being the best mummy,” Elsa says softly. 

Louis closes her eyes, wanting to commit this moment to memory. She presses a kiss to the crown of Elsa’s head. “Thank you for being the best angel a mummy could have!”

Seconds later a crash echoes from the family room. Louis and Harry both freeze for a fraction of a second until they hear the twins call out.

“It was Brig!”

“It was Jas.”

“No, you!”

“NO, YOU!”

Elsa jumps off of Louis lap and heaves a long, suffering sigh. “It’s okay Daddy, I’ll see what happened.” As she heads into the family room Harry and Louis crack up.

“I say it was that lamp on the end table,” Harry bets.

Louis shakes her head confidently. “Framed family picture above the TV. One of them probably threw the video game controller wondering why it wouldn’t work and it hit the wall behind the tv.”

“Oh no,” Elsa says loudly. “Mummy, the twins broke the music box that Nana Anne gave us for Christmas last year. NO JASPER, stay away it’s dangerous.”  
Harry and Louis exchange a panicked look before they rush into the living room. Just as Elsa claimed, the music box is laying shattered on the tile around the fireplace. There is an ottoman that has been pushed over to the fireplace where one of the twins was clearly trying to climb to bring it down to play with.  
Harry rounds the twins and Elsa up, placing them on the couch while Louis grabs a broom and dust pan.

“Wanted to play,” Jasper says sadly.

“Make music,” Brigitte echoes.

“I know you little monkeys,” Harry says playfully. His mum will be disappointed that it was broken but he knows she’ll understand. “Next time have mummy or me get it for you.”

“Get nother?”

“Nana Anne?”

“Yes, I’m sure Nana Anne will get you another.” 

Once the fireplace has been cleaned and the area is clear of glass, Harry lets the kids climb down to make themselves comfortable on the floor with their toys. He instructs Elsa to pick out any movie she’d like to watch and smiles when he knew she’d pick out one of the movies from her Barbie collection that Liam had gifted her with the last time he’d stopped by.

A typical Sunday in the Styles household could turn on a dime instantly, both Louis and Harry were witness to that on many an occasion. But as Louis curled up beside him on the couch, rubbing her belly in soothing motions and Elsa crawled up on his other side, wrapping herself in his arms, Harry takes a moment to enjoy his family. And the relative calm before the storm.

Finis


End file.
